Medical-Surgical Nursing Study Guide
Questions and Correct Answers 2026
The nurse sees in the patient's record that the patient has a Braden score of 20. Which nursing
action is the nurse most likely to perform in the care of this patient? - <CORRECT ANSWER
>>Continue routine assessments
A thin, malnourished patient requires emergency abdominal surgery. After the surgery, in order
to promote wound healing, what does the nurse encourage? - <CORRECT ANSWER >>High-
quality protein diet
The nurse is directing the home health unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) in the care of an
older adult patient. The patient reports dry skin and wants help in applying an emollient cream.
What does the nurse direct the UAP to do? - <CORRECT ANSWER >>Assist the patient to soak
for 10 minutes in a warm bath and then apply the cream to slightly damp skin within 2 to 3
minutes after bathing
Which patients are at risk for pressure ulcers? - <CORRECT ANSWER >>-A middle-aged
quadriplegic patient who is alert and conversant
-A bedridden patient who is in the late stage of Alzheimer's
-A very overweight patient who must be assisted to move in the bed
-A thin patient who sits for longer period and refuses meals
The nurse is caring for an obese patient who has been on bedrest for several days. The nurse
observes that the patient is beginning to develop redness on the sacral area. What intervention
is used to decrease the shearing force? - <CORRECT ANSWER >>Place the patient in a side-lying
position
, The nurse is reviewing the results of a pressure mapping on patient at high risk for pressure
ulcers. The map shows a red area over the hips. How does the nurse interpret this evidence? -
<CORRECT ANSWER >>Greater heat production associated with greater pressure
The nurse is assessing the nutritional status of a patient at risk for skin breakdown who has
been refusing to eat the hospital food. Which indicator is the most sensitive in identifying
inadequate nutrition for this patient? - <CORRECT ANSWER >>Prealbumin level of 17.5 mg/dL
Seeing a reddened area on a patient's skin, the nurse presses firmly with fingers at the center of
the are and see that the area blanches with pressure. The nurse interprets this finding as
changes related to which factor? - <CORRECT ANSWER >>Blood vessel dilation
TheIInurseIIisIIassessingIIaIIwoundIIonIIaIIpatient'sIIabdomen.IIWhatIIisIItheIIcorrectIItechnique?II-
II<CORRECTIIANSWERII>>AssessIItheIIwoundIIasIIaIIclockIIfaceIIwithII12IIo'clockIItowardsIItheIIpatient'sII
headIIandII6IIo'cockIItowardsIItheIIpatient'sIIfeet
TheIInurseIIisIIassessingIIaIIpatient'sIIwoundIIeveryIIdayIIforIIsignsIIofIIhealingIIorIIinfection.IIWhichIIfindi
ngIIisIIaIIpositiveIIindicationIIthatIIhealingIIisIIprogressingIIasIIexpected?II-
II<CORRECTIIANSWERII>>AreaIIappearsIIpaleIIpink,IIprogressingIItoIIaIIspongyIItextureIIwithIIaIIbeefyIIre
dIIcolor
TheIInurseIIisIIirrigatingIIaIIlargeIIpressureIIulcerIIonIIaIIpatient'sIIhip,IIandIInotesIIaIIsmallIIopeningIIinIIth
eIIskinIIwithIIpurulentIIdrainage.IIWhichIItechniqueIIdoesIItheIInurseIIuseIItoIIcheckIIforIItunneling?II-
II<CORRECTIIANSWERII>>UseIIaIIsterileIIcotton-tippedIIapplicatorIItoIIprobeIIgentlyIIforIIaIItunnel
TheIInurseIIisIIassessingIIaIIpatient'sIIskinIIandIInotesIIaII2"IIxII2"IIpurplish-
coloredIIareaIIonIItheIIcoccyxIIwithIIskinIIintact.IITheseIIfindingsIIsuggestIIwhichIIstageIIofIIaIIpressureIIul
cer?II-II<CORRECTIIANSWERII>>SuspectedIIdeepIItissueIIinjury
WhenIIdevelopingIIaIIplanIIofIIcareIIforIIaIIpatientIIwhoIIisIIatIIhighIIriskIIforIIskinIIbreakdown,IIwhatIIdoesI
ItheIInurseIIincludeIIinIItheIIplanIIofIIcare?II-II<CORRECTIIANSWERII>>-
ApplyingIIaIIpressureIIreductionIIoverlayIItoIItheIImattress
-FrequentIIrepositioningIIofIItheIIpatient
Questions and Correct Answers 2026
The nurse sees in the patient's record that the patient has a Braden score of 20. Which nursing
action is the nurse most likely to perform in the care of this patient? - <CORRECT ANSWER
>>Continue routine assessments
A thin, malnourished patient requires emergency abdominal surgery. After the surgery, in order
to promote wound healing, what does the nurse encourage? - <CORRECT ANSWER >>High-
quality protein diet
The nurse is directing the home health unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) in the care of an
older adult patient. The patient reports dry skin and wants help in applying an emollient cream.
What does the nurse direct the UAP to do? - <CORRECT ANSWER >>Assist the patient to soak
for 10 minutes in a warm bath and then apply the cream to slightly damp skin within 2 to 3
minutes after bathing
Which patients are at risk for pressure ulcers? - <CORRECT ANSWER >>-A middle-aged
quadriplegic patient who is alert and conversant
-A bedridden patient who is in the late stage of Alzheimer's
-A very overweight patient who must be assisted to move in the bed
-A thin patient who sits for longer period and refuses meals
The nurse is caring for an obese patient who has been on bedrest for several days. The nurse
observes that the patient is beginning to develop redness on the sacral area. What intervention
is used to decrease the shearing force? - <CORRECT ANSWER >>Place the patient in a side-lying
position
, The nurse is reviewing the results of a pressure mapping on patient at high risk for pressure
ulcers. The map shows a red area over the hips. How does the nurse interpret this evidence? -
<CORRECT ANSWER >>Greater heat production associated with greater pressure
The nurse is assessing the nutritional status of a patient at risk for skin breakdown who has
been refusing to eat the hospital food. Which indicator is the most sensitive in identifying
inadequate nutrition for this patient? - <CORRECT ANSWER >>Prealbumin level of 17.5 mg/dL
Seeing a reddened area on a patient's skin, the nurse presses firmly with fingers at the center of
the are and see that the area blanches with pressure. The nurse interprets this finding as
changes related to which factor? - <CORRECT ANSWER >>Blood vessel dilation
TheIInurseIIisIIassessingIIaIIwoundIIonIIaIIpatient'sIIabdomen.IIWhatIIisIItheIIcorrectIItechnique?II-
II<CORRECTIIANSWERII>>AssessIItheIIwoundIIasIIaIIclockIIfaceIIwithII12IIo'clockIItowardsIItheIIpatient'sII
headIIandII6IIo'cockIItowardsIItheIIpatient'sIIfeet
TheIInurseIIisIIassessingIIaIIpatient'sIIwoundIIeveryIIdayIIforIIsignsIIofIIhealingIIorIIinfection.IIWhichIIfindi
ngIIisIIaIIpositiveIIindicationIIthatIIhealingIIisIIprogressingIIasIIexpected?II-
II<CORRECTIIANSWERII>>AreaIIappearsIIpaleIIpink,IIprogressingIItoIIaIIspongyIItextureIIwithIIaIIbeefyIIre
dIIcolor
TheIInurseIIisIIirrigatingIIaIIlargeIIpressureIIulcerIIonIIaIIpatient'sIIhip,IIandIInotesIIaIIsmallIIopeningIIinIIth
eIIskinIIwithIIpurulentIIdrainage.IIWhichIItechniqueIIdoesIItheIInurseIIuseIItoIIcheckIIforIItunneling?II-
II<CORRECTIIANSWERII>>UseIIaIIsterileIIcotton-tippedIIapplicatorIItoIIprobeIIgentlyIIforIIaIItunnel
TheIInurseIIisIIassessingIIaIIpatient'sIIskinIIandIInotesIIaII2"IIxII2"IIpurplish-
coloredIIareaIIonIItheIIcoccyxIIwithIIskinIIintact.IITheseIIfindingsIIsuggestIIwhichIIstageIIofIIaIIpressureIIul
cer?II-II<CORRECTIIANSWERII>>SuspectedIIdeepIItissueIIinjury
WhenIIdevelopingIIaIIplanIIofIIcareIIforIIaIIpatientIIwhoIIisIIatIIhighIIriskIIforIIskinIIbreakdown,IIwhatIIdoesI
ItheIInurseIIincludeIIinIItheIIplanIIofIIcare?II-II<CORRECTIIANSWERII>>-
ApplyingIIaIIpressureIIreductionIIoverlayIItoIItheIImattress
-FrequentIIrepositioningIIofIItheIIpatient
